Burning Desire
by Moonsong
Summary: SPOILERS OVA 2 Ep. 4 & Manga Vol. 17- Tasuki is led astray and is forced to betray the ones he loves.


  
  
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* SPOILERS FOR ENTIRE SERIES UP TO & INCLUDING OVA 2, EP. 4 *  
LOOSELY BASED ON MANGA VOL. 17  
  
  
  
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Burning Desire  
By Moonsong  
tsukinouta@yahoo.com  
  
  
The fire surrounded him, merciless in its fury, pitiless in its   
desire to purge his shameful existence. Hot flames seared his   
skin; smoke filled his lungs, rendering him virtually incapable of   
breathing. His eyes screamed with pain yet he welcomed the   
torment.  
  
~ With the fire from the fireworks up above me  
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain at hand ~  
  
Hate. Fury. Fear. Guilt. Rage... fear... hate...   
  
He screamed in anguish and felt his body weakening. His entire   
existence was narrowed to the events within the last six hours;   
the events replaying through his tortured mind. No longer capable   
of fighting back, he shuddered and gave himself over to the   
memories, praying the fire would grant him quick release.  
  
~ You run for cover in the temple of love   
You run for another but still the same ~  
  
~~~~~  
~ For the wind will blow my name across this land ~  
  
"Tenkou has the stones now," Miaka said quietly, her eyes fixed on   
her lover's figure huddled a few feet away. "He won't even talk to   
me."  
  
Chichiri, the ever-present voice of reason, spoke up. "You should   
give him some time, no da."  
  
Miaka sighed sadly and stood up. "Hai, I know."   
  
With one last longing look in Taka's direction, she slowly walked   
off in the opposite direction, unable to bear his torment any   
longer.   
  
~ In the temple of love you hide together  
Believing pain and fear outside ~  
  
Tasuki watched her departure confusedly, then shifted his   
attention to Taka's forlorn figure half-hidden by the trees. "Ne,   
how come they can still stay together after all this?"   
  
Nuriko shook his head and sent the bandit flying into a nearby   
tree. "They're in LOVE, baka!"  
  
Tasuki slid down the tree slowly, slightly dazed. No matter how   
many trees the he made intimate acquaintances with, courtesy of   
the seemingly fragile seishi, he still hadn't gotten used to the   
treatment.   
  
He hit the ground with a dull thud and shook his head.   
  
"I don't get it..."  
  
~ But someone near you rides the weather  
And the tears he cried will rain on walls  
As wide as lovers eyes ~  
  
Sighing, Nuriko spared him one last glance.   
  
"You will someday, Tasuki-chan."   
  
With a half-smile, the former court princess rose with unconscious   
grace and bounded off to comfort Taka.   
  
Still confused, Tasuki shook the last of the stars from his eyes   
and slunk away into the forest to sort out his thoughts.  
  
Once under the trees, he relaxed somewhat, reveling in the   
relative peace afforded by their shady branches.  
  
'He's hurt her so many times. If I were in love with someone, I'd   
spare her as much pain as I could,' he mused, his path taking him   
deeper into the forest. 'I just don't understand...'  
  
The attack came without warning.  
  
~ In the temple of love: Shine like thunder ~  
  
Within one heartbeat and the next, the forest disappeared and the   
flame-haired seishi found himself completely engulfed within an   
angry wave of water.  
  
~ In the temple of love: Cry like rain ~  
  
He cried out, helpless in the raging currents, his most primal   
fear coming to the fore. He was drowning.  
  
~ In the temple of love: Hear my calling ~  
  
In the midst of chaos, a voice rang out, tethering him, saving him   
from the pounding waves. Fearfully, he clutched at it, using it as   
a lifeline.  
  
~ In the temple of love: Hear my name ~  
  
He could hear no words, just a soothing murmur. Faced with the   
mysterious sound and the brutal waves, Tasuki closed his eyes and   
gave himself up to the voice. The water dissipated slowly, the   
wavering image of a man in dark robes taking its place.  
  
~ And the devil in black dress watches over  
My guardian angel walks away ~  
  
The vision cleared and Tasuki fell to the ground shaking like a   
leaf in a gale. In his mind, the voice lingered, comforting his   
fears and easing his pain. His body stood of its own volition as   
the last of his conscious mind slipped into the swirling void   
created by the haunting whispers.   
  
~ Life is short and love is always over in the morning  
Black wind come carry me far away ~  
  
~~~~~  
Taka bounded joyfully through the forest, his heart alight. He and   
Miaka had just made up and everything was all right with the world   
again. His tuneless whistling stopped abruptly as a shadow loomed   
in his path.  
  
"Tasuki?" He called, peering into the gloom.  
  
Suddenly, Taka found himself on the ground, the breath torn from   
his lungs. He stared up at his friend blearily, trying to gather   
his scattered wits.  
  
"Tasuki, what on earth?"  
  
His only answer was a snarl and another punch to the jaw. As he   
sprawled on the rocky dirt wit-wandering, the bandit finally   
spoke.  
  
"You %^$#in' bastard!"   
  
~ With the sunlight died and night above me  
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain inside ~  
  
For one mad moment, Taka was sure he had misheard. Picking himself   
up gingerly, he tried to reason with the other seishi.   
  
"Tasuki..."  
  
"Shut up!!"  
  
This time, the punch was hard enough to draw blood. Taka flew   
across the clearing, slamming his ribs into the unyielding trunk   
of a nearby pine.  
  
"All you do is cause her pain! I'm gonna fix it so you can never   
hurt her again!"  
  
~ You run for cover in the temple of love ~  
  
The shock at this declaration gave Taka the strength to blurt a   
reply. "What are you talking about?"  
  
There was no answer and the bandit continued to stand his ground.  
  
Despite the tearing pain in his side, Taka managed to lever   
himself up. "Iie, Tasuki." He choked. "I would never hurt Miaka. I   
love her with all my heart. What's gotten into you?"  
  
He reached out to the other seishi in entreaty, only to be kicked   
aside.  
  
~ You run for another it's all the same ~  
  
"You &#^$in' liar! I'm gonna take her away from you!" Eyes   
blazing, the fifth seishi raised his tessen up over his head.  
  
Taka's eyes widened. "Tasuki! YAMETE!"  
  
With a sickening crack, the iron fan dropped.  
  
~~~~~  
~ For the wind will blow and throw your walls aside ~  
  
Miaka lounged against the tree trunk, a small smile playing upon   
her lips. Taka had left to get her some food. And if there was   
anything she loved more than Taka, it was food. The thought of the   
two together was enough to throw her into a fit of ecstasy.   
Sighing blissfully, she leaned back into the tree and waited.   
  
A few moments later, she spotted movement beyond the path. It was   
Tasuki.  
  
"Ne, Miaka," the bandit began tonelessly, "Taka sent me here to   
get ya. Said he found a place that has food-"  
  
"WAAIII!"   
  
The rest of his sentence was cut off as Miaka grabbed his arm and   
literally dragged him back towards town in her wake.   
  
~~~~~  
~ With the fire from the fireworks up above   
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain ~  
  
Miaka slurped up the last drops of the delicious golden liquid and   
set the bowl down- on the empty air next to the table. Tasuki's   
eyes widened as the dish fell to the hard ground with a crash.  
  
Across the table, Miaka was laughing obnoxiously. "Tasuki-chaaan!   
When did you get three heads?"  
  
The fanged seishi smiled indulgently. The poor girl obviously   
couldn't hold her sake. "Maybe you should get some rest, ne?"  
  
His concern went unnoticed as Miaka multiplied another of his   
features and began pounding the table in hysteria.  
  
A small smirk on his face, Tasuki picked up the severely drunken   
miko and proceeded to the upstairs bedrooms.  
  
~~~~~  
~ You run for cover in the temple of love  
I shine like thunder cry like rain ~  
  
"Tamahome!!"  
  
Miaka woke from the nightmare sobbing. She shot up and collided   
with a warm body that held her warmly. It took a moment, and then   
her sleep-fogged mind finally registered her comforter as Tasuki.   
Safe in his arms, Miaka wept.  
  
Through it all, the flame-haired bandit held her tight, one hand   
stroking her hair softly. "Shhh," he murmured soothingly, "I'm   
here Miaka. He'll never be able to hurt you again."  
  
~ And the temple grows old and strong  
But the wind blows longer cold and long ~  
  
Slowly, her tears subsided and she drew apart from his warmth.   
"Arigato, Tasuki."  
  
He released her, eyes never leaving her face.  
  
She looked up at him self-consciously, brushing the last of the   
tears from her eyes. Trying to raise a ghost of her usually cheery   
self, she smiled half-heartedly. "So, where's Taka and the   
others?"  
  
His amber eyes darkened. "You don't understand," he muttered as he   
pushed her back down into the bed. "They ain't comin.'"   
  
"Nani?!"  
  
~ And the temple of love will fall before  
This black wind calls my name to you no more ~  
  
Miaka's startled gasp was quickly silenced as Tasuki clamped his   
mouth over hers. She pulled away in shock and disbelief. "Tasuki?"  
  
"You don't have to worry, Miaka," he soothed as he wrapped his   
arms around her now shivering form. "I'm here. I'm not gonna let   
him hurt you anymore."  
  
With that, he bent his fiery head over hers and kissed her again.  
  
~ In the black sky thunder sweeping  
Underground and over water ~  
  
Dimly, Miaka started to realize what was happening but retaining a   
coherent thought was becoming more and more of a challenge to her   
still alcohol-fazed mind. The room started to spin and she   
clutched at Tasuki for support.  
  
"Tasuki..."  
  
Unaware of her discomfort, he took that as consent and pressed   
against her, lips trailing down her neck. Over and over, he   
murmured her name as he nipped her sweet flesh.  
  
The sting of one of his fangs piercing her skin brought the world   
back with alarming clarity. Miaka gasped as a sudden pressure   
between her thighs made his intentions abundantly clear.  
  
Whimpering, she struggled against him but her sluggish limbs   
refused to cooperate.   
  
~ Sounds of crying weeping will not save  
Your faith for bricks and dreams for mortar ~  
  
"Tasuki," she managed, tears forming in her eyes, "yamete..."  
  
The bandit pressed on, oblivious to her cries. The first button of   
her borrowed shirt popped off... then the second...  
  
"Tasuki!"  
  
~ All your prayers must seem as nothing  
Ninety-six below the wave  
When stone is dust and only air remains ~  
  
Somewhere in the midst of his passion-fogged brain, he became   
aware that she was saying something. Assuming she was worried   
about Taka finding them in this position, he hastened to reassure   
her.  
  
"Forget about him!" he whispered passionately. "He doesn't matter   
anymore. Nothing matters except you and me."  
  
A third button came off. There was no denying what the bandit   
intended to do. With renewed vigor, Miaka resumed her battle   
against her still paralyzed body, but to no avail. Frustrated,   
Miaka did the only thing she could do. She cried.  
  
~ In the temple of love: Shine like thunder  
  
"Tasuki! Yamete onegai! YAMETE!"  
  
In the temple of love: Cry like rain  
  
Her panicked screech pierced through his clouded his mind and he   
stared at her in abject horror.  
  
~ In the temple of love: Hear the calling ~  
  
She was crying. He had made her cry. All he had wanted was to make   
her happy and all he had done was make her cry.   
  
~ And the temple of love is falling   
Down ~  
  
Visibly upset, he grabbed her shoulders and shook her violently.   
"Why are you crying?" he demanded. "What did I do wrong?"  
  
Without warning, the door to the room slammed open revealing a   
battered and bruised Taka leaning against the doorframe for   
support.  
  
~ In the temple of love: Shine like thunder ~  
  
"Get away from her Tasuki."   
  
~ In the temple of love: Cry like rain ~  
  
The bandit immediately shot up and pulled Miaka against him.   
  
"She's mine now, Taka," he growled. "You're just the one who keeps   
hurting her."  
  
~ In the temple of love: Hear my calling ~  
  
"Iie, Tasuki. Miaka belongs with me. I love her. And no one, not   
even you can ever change that. We belong together, her and I."  
  
~ In the temple of love: Hear my name ~  
  
The warring voices in his head grew louder and Tasuki doubled over   
in pain. What was he doing? These were his dearest friends. Why   
was he trying to drive them apart?   
  
Wait! Taka was hurting his precious miko. And, as a Suzaku seishi,   
he was honor-bound to protect her.   
  
But wasn't he hurting her as well in the process?  
  
Burying his head in Miaka's shoulder, Tasuki bit his lip, blocking   
everything out. For one moment, everything was silent. Then one of   
the voices returned with a compelling command.   
  
~ In the black sky thunder sweeping  
Underground and over water ~  
  
"Kill him."  
  
Filled now with a purpose, Tasuki raged from the bed and tackled   
the other man. The momentum carried both of them out the door and   
down the stairs below.  
  
Already bruised and bleeding from his previous injuries, Taka   
screamed in pain as his body collided with the unforgiving ground.   
He lay on the wooden planks gasping for air.  
  
~ Sounds of crying weeping will not save  
Your faith for bricks and dreams for mortar ~  
  
"Taka!!" Streaming tears accompanied Miaka's scream as she watched   
her love stand painfully and weave unsteadily back up the stairs.   
She cringed, knowing how much pain he was in, yet took comfort in   
the determination in his eyes.  
  
"Tasuki," he whispered through swollen lips. "I'm the one who can   
make her happy. Listen to me-"   
  
His words were lost again as an undefended kick sent him   
plummeting back towards the lower floor.  
  
~ All your prayers must seem as nothing  
Ninety-six below the wave ~  
  
"How the hell can a guy like you make her happy? You're gonna   
disappear soon! You think THAT's making her happy?" the frenzied   
bandit screamed.  
  
Somehow, Taka found the strength to lever himself up. He directed   
his broken gaze to his dearest friend, making no move to continue   
his advance.  
  
"Tasuki, look at Miaka. She's crying. Did you make her cry? This   
isn't like you..."  
  
~ When stone is dust and air remains  
the only haven you can trust ~  
  
Sensing the other man's hesitation, Taka pressed on, daring to   
take one excruciating step forward... then another... "This isn't   
you, Tasuki. You are honorable... and a good friend. Right now,   
the person hurting Miaka the most is you, seeing you like this..."  
  
The flame-haired seishi blinked once... twice... as if registering   
his friend's words. Slowly, he turned to Miaka and was horrified   
to see her tears.  
  
Pain welling up in his heart, he reached for her involuntarily.   
'Could he be telling the truth? Am I hurting her more because of   
this?'  
  
Before he could pursue that train of thought further, that inner   
voice silenced his doubts, simultaneously fueling his fury.  
  
"It's all HIS fault," it hissed. "Kill him."  
  
~ And the devil in black dress watches over  
My guardian angel walks away ~  
  
"Shut UP!" Tha bandit's cry was immediately followed by another   
sickening crack as Tama's ribs made contact with the wooden floor.  
  
"Tasuki, stop!" Miaka shrieked, pulling at his arm ineffectively.   
"You're going to kill him!"  
  
Taka looked up slowly, meeting her eyes, trying to will strength   
into her. "It's okay, Miaka. Believe in Tasuki. Believe..."  
  
~ Life is short and love is always over in the morning  
Black wind come carry me far away ~  
  
Enveloped in a fiery rage, Tasuki pushed her aside and delivered   
another pointed kick at Taka's broken body. "Look at you! You   
can't even defend yourself! How can a man like you, with no   
powers, protect Miaka?"  
  
On the floor, Taka whimpered in pain, unable even to summon up the   
energy to reply.  
  
Disgusted, the bandit spat and turned his back to the bleeding   
figure, leaving it to its inevitable fate. "You're so pathetic."  
  
Before Tasuki had traveled more than a few steps, he was stopped.   
  
"You're right..."  
  
Those whispered words, forced through a series of broken bones and   
swollen limbs reached his ears and he turned around in disbelief.  
  
~ With the fire from the fireworks up above  
With a gun for a lover and a shot for the pain ~  
  
Though every inch of his body was in agony, Taka pushed himself up   
on his knees and slowly rose from the place on the floor stained   
with his own blood.  
  
"You're right," the former seishi rasped, "I don't have powers   
anymore-"  
  
His words were interrupted by a fit of coughing that shook his   
entire body. The sharp pain in his lungs made it near impossible   
to breathe but he pushed on.  
  
"I might not be the man I once was, but there is one thing I do   
know. I love Miaka."  
  
~ You run for cover in the temple of love  
I shine like thunder cry like rain ~  
  
"I love her so much I don't know what to do with myself. For her,   
I would do anything. It doesn't matter if people laugh at me, or   
mock me, or hurt me... no matter how much I have to suffer... if   
it's for her, then it's all worth it."  
  
He was interrupted by another fit, this time, coughing up blood.   
Miaka gasped and tried to run to him but Tasuki clamped down on   
her arm.  
  
After the coughing subsided, Taka met his friend's amber eyes once   
more and smiled sadly. "You know, even though I've become this   
worthless shell of a man, all of you still accepted me. For the   
first time in my life, I was happy. And it wasn't just because of   
Miaka. I belonged somewhere- with all of you."  
  
~ And the temple grows old and strong  
But the wind blows longer cold and long ~  
  
Slowly, Taka, took one shaky step towards Tasuki... then   
another... "My feelings for Miaka will never change, and neither   
will my love for all of you. So, if you want to kill me, if that's   
what will make you happy, then... do it."  
  
His tortured gaze locked onto Tasuki's shocked one, forgiveness   
and acceptance marking his features. He looked, for all intents   
and purposes, like a man ready to die.  
  
And as the fifth Suzaku Seishi stared into the eyes of his best   
and dearest friend, he was filled with one desire.  
  
'Kill him,'  
  
~ And the temple of love will fall before ~  
  
Tasuki slowly raised the tessen over his head. As if in a dream,   
he paused and slowly he registered everything surrounding him...  
  
Miaka screaming in anguish- "NOOOO!!"  
  
Taka bowing his head, his face angelic in its strength and   
serenity.  
  
And that insistent voice boiling through his veins, its icy fists   
clenched around his very soul- "Do it!"  
  
He started to bring the fan down. "LEKKA-"  
  
Then suddenly, the world came back with an audible snap. Shattered   
recollections of the last few hours seared through Tasuki's mind   
in a blinding flash and he drove the tessen blindly through the   
floor in front of him, aborting the attack.  
  
"I CAN'T BETRAY A FRIEEEENDDDD!!"  
  
It was too late. His anguished scream was cut off as the fan   
exploded into flames.   
  
~ This black wind calls my name to you no more ~  
  
Hate. Fury. Fear. Guilt. Rage... fear... hate...  
  
He welcomed the heat, the excruciating pain proving to be a far   
gentler mistress than the bitter thought of betraying his dearest   
friends.  
  
Weeping, uncaring of whether from pain or grief, he clenched his   
fists and waited for the fires to cleanse him, to purge his very   
existence from this world.   
  
~ In the temple of love you hide together  
Believing pain and fear outside ~  
  
Endless seconds passed... minutes... hours... he didn't care   
anymore. The pain was actually receding now. The fiery orange   
light that burned through his eyelids was fading into a soothing   
black. And just before he slipped between the cracks into   
oblivion, Tasuki sent out a final message to the ones he loved.  
  
'Gomen nasai, minna. I never meant for things to turn out like   
this. Heck, I was just a scruffy, loud-mouthed bandit from the   
mountains. I don't know what I did to deserve you people caring   
about me like you guys did.  
  
Tamahome, I can never make up for what I did to you, but take care   
of Miaka for me. And I know you are the same man you once were.   
You just need to realize it. Hotohori, Nuriko, Chichiri,   
Mitsukake, Chiriko, I failed you all... I failed in my duty as a   
seishi, and I violated your trust. I'm sorry. Miaka... I'm sorry I   
didn't protect you like I should have. I'm sorry I made you   
cry...'  
  
A gentle, warm light bathed him and Tasuki knew he didn't have   
much time. 'Aishiteru, minna... zutto...'  
  
~ But someone near you rides the weather  
And the tears he cried will rain on walls   
As wide as lovers eyes ~  
  
The world had frozen in shocked silence when the fifth Suzaku   
seishi was engulfed by his own soul's fire.   
  
"TASUKI! NO!"  
  
Taka was the first to recover. Adrenaline coursed through his   
veins as he watched his dearest friend burning merrily to hell.   
Within a heartbeat, he had his shirt torn off and had flung it   
over Tasuki's body to dampen the flames.  
  
~ In the temple of love: Shine like thunder ~  
  
At the same time, Miaka screamed the fallen seishi's name and   
joined her lover at his side. Then they were joined by another.  
  
"Taka! Stand aside!"  
  
Taka shuffled to one side to make room for the newcomer but   
refused to leave his friend. Vaguely, he identified the deep-  
voiced speaker as Mitsukake but had no time to feel any joy in   
their reunion.   
  
Miaka, on the other hand, latched onto the older seishi's arm   
desperately.  
  
~ In the temple of love: Cry like rain ~  
  
"Mitsukake! You can heal him, right? He'll be okay, won't he?"  
  
The other man nodded distractedly, his full attention Tasuki's   
burned body.   
  
While the healer concentrated on keeping the bandit on their side   
of the living, Taka kept at the flames, trying to ignore the heat   
seeping through his already sensitized skin.  
  
~ In the temple of love: Hear the calling ~  
  
"Tasuki," he seethed as he stamped out another little fire, "I   
swear if you don't live through this, I'm gonna freaking kill   
you!"  
  
No response.  
  
"Goddammit you stupid moron! Get UP!"   
  
He was promptly rewarded with a swift kick to an already bruised   
face.  
  
"Who are ya callin' a 'moron' you..."  
  
It took a moment for it to register.   
  
Tasuki blinked. "I-I'm alive?"  
  
Mitsukake breathed in relief. "Hai..."  
  
As one, Miaka and Taka tackled the singed bandit, tears streaming   
down their ash-streaked faces.  
  
"Stupid... stupid... you IDIOT... what the hell were you trying to   
do?"  
  
Miaka nodded, echoing Taka's thoughts. "Baka..."  
  
Surrounded by their warmth and love, Tasuki felt tears forming in   
his own eyes. Clumsily, he returned their forgiving embraces, fat   
tears creeping down his flushed cheeks.  
  
"Yeah, that was pretty stupid..."  
  
~ And the temple of love is falling   
Down ~  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
OWARI  
  
  
Author's Notes: I don't really have much to say about this one   
except I hope it "hit" you in some way. Reactions are always   
welcome at tsukinouta@yahoo.com.  
  
Disclaimers: Fushigi Yuugi and its characters belong to Watase   
Yuu. Rights are also held by Flower Comics, Shogakukan, Bandai, TV   
Tokyo, Movic, Studio Pierrot; US rights by Viz Communications and   
Pioneer.  
  
"Temple of Love" belongs to Sisters of Mercy. The song is off the   
album, "A Slight Case of Overbombing," released in 1993.  
  
No copyright infringement is intended. This story was written   
purely for the entertainment and enjoyment of other fans and I am   
not making any profit from it. I do ask, however, that my   
permission be obtained before posting this somewhere else.  
  
Huge hugs to Lyra and Arion for encouraging me to finish this fic   
even when I wanted to abandon it. Credit should also go to Tasuki   
no Miko for her manga translations- even though I didn't reference   
them directly for this, I would never have understood what was   
going on if it weren't for her. Visit her site at:   
http://www.crosswinds.net/~tasukinomiko/Anime/FY/  
  
"Burning Desire" Copyrighted © June 30, 2000 by Moonsong.  
All rights not previously claimed by the above are reserved.  



End file.
